Anthony Ballantoni

Looking Ahead

Looking Ahead: 43 days to go!

During the off-season, Looking Ahead gives a snapshot of where drivers finished in 2012 and what’s ahead for them in 2013. We will look at drivers who scored at least 250 points in the Cup Series and those who earned at least 200 points in the Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series.

With 43 days to go until the 2013 season-opening Daytona 500, here are some driver recaps followed by a tentative list of 2013 Sprint Cup Driver/Team lineups.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS):Carl Edwards finished 15th in the standings and earned 1030 points.2012: Drove the No. 99 Ford for Roush Fenway Racing. In the 36 starts, he led 254 laps, earned one pole, had three top five and 13 top 10 finishes and had an average start of 14.5 and a 15.6 average finish. In addition, Edwards made one start in the NNS. He started second in the lineup at Watkins Glen in RFR’s No. 60 Ford, led eight of the 82 laps on the road course and won the event.Best NSCS start: 1 - Daytona 02/27/12Best NSCS finishes: 5 - Las Vegas 03/11/12, Auto Club 03/25/12 and Dover 09/30/12Last NSCS Win: Las Vegas 03/06/11.2013: Edwards is signed thru 2014 to drive the No. 99 Ford. Jimmy Fennig, formerly on the RFR No. 17 Ford, will assume the role of crew chief for the team.

Ryan Newman finished 14th in the standings and earned 1051 points.2012: Drove the No. 39 Chevrolet for Stewart Haas Racing. In the 36 starts, he led 39 laps, had one victory, had six top five and 14 top 10 finishes and had an average start of 10.9 and a 15.0 average finish. In addition, Newman raced Turner Motorsports’ Nationwide Series No. 33 Chevrolet at Fort Worth (finished 19th). He also drove the Nos. 7 and 77 Chevrolets in three NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour races earning one pole and a best finish of seventh at Bristol.Best NSCS starts: 2 - Daytona 07/07/12 and Talladega 10/07/12Best NSCS finish: 1 - Martinsville 04/01/12Last NSCS Win: Martinsville 04/01/12.2013: Newman will return for a full season. Matt Borland, who took over as crew chief on the No. 39 at Martinsville in October, will return in that role this season. Quicken Loans, Haas Automation and Outback Steakhouse return as sponsors.

Kyle Busch finished 13th in the standings and earned 1133 points.2012: Drove the No. 18 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. In the 36 starts, he led 1436 laps, scored two poles, had one victory, 13 top five and 20 top 10 finishes. He had an average start of 10.2 and a 13.3 average finish. In addition, Busch raced his own Kyle Busch Motorsports’ No. 54 Toyota in 22 NNS races. He scored three poles, led 383 laps, had nine top five and 14 top ten finishes and had an average start of 8.5 and an 11.1 average finish. Busch also drove his KBM No. 18 Toyota Tundra in three NCWTS races earning three top five finishes.Best NSCS starts: 1 - Loudon 07/15/12 and Phoenix 11/11/12Best NSCS finish: 1 - Richmond 04/28/12Last NSCS Win: Richmond 04/28/12.2013: Busch will return for a full season along with crew chief Dave Rogers in the No. 18 Toyota. He plans to run a partial NNS season in Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 18 Toyota and possibly some races in his KBM No. 54 Toyota. Busch also plans to run a limited schedule in his KBM No. 51 Toyota Tundra truck.

NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS):Tayler Malsam finished 15th in the standings and earned 609 points.2012:Drove 26 races in TriStar Motorsports’ No. 18 Toyota. He had one top ten finish, an average start of 24.9 and a 20.6 average finish.Best NNS start: 14 - Talladega 05/05/12Best NNS finish: 6 - Daytona 02/25/12Last NNS Win: None so far.2013: No firm plans at this time.

Jeremy Clements finished 14th in the standings and earned 701 points.2012:Drove his Clements Racing No. 51 Chevrolet. In the 33 races, he led four laps, had two top ten finishes, an average start of 23.9 and a 22.8 average finish.Best NNS start: 11 - Kansas 10/20/12Best NNS finishes: 10 - Dover 06/02/12 and Indianapolis 07/28/12Last NNS Win: None so far.2013: No firm plans at this time.

Jason Bowles finished 13th in the standings and earned 715 points.2012:Drove the MacDonald Motorsports’ No. 81 Toyota. In the 33 races, he led two laps, had an average start of 23.1 and a 22.4 average finish.Best NNS start: 10 - Las Vegas 03/10/12Best NNS finishes: 14 - Daytona 07/06/12 and Road America 06/23/12Last NNS Win: None so far.2013: No firm plans at this time.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS):Ryan Sieg finished 15th in the standings and earned 531 points.2012:Drove 22 races in the RSS Racing No. 39 Chevrolet Silverado. He led five laps, had one top 10 finish, an average start of 25.3 and a 19.9 average finish. Best NCWTS start: 14 - Phoenix 11/09/12Best NCWTS finish: 6 - Phoenix 11/09/12Last NCWTS Win: None so far.2013: No firm plans at this time.

Todd Bodine finished 14th in the standings and earned 574 points.2012: Drove 22 races in the Red Horse Racing No. 11 Toyota Tundra. He scored one victory, led 33 laps, had five top five and seven top 10 finishes and had an average start of 11.8 and an18.2 average finish.Best NCWTS start: 3 - Bristol 08/22/12Best NCWTS finish: 1 - Dover 06/01/12Last NCWTS Win: Dover 06/01/12.2013: Due to lack of sponsorship, Red Horse Racing may not field the No. 11 in 2013. Bodine’s plans are unknown at this time.

Ron Hornaday Jr. finished 13th in the standings and earned 591 points.2012:Drove 22 races in the Joe Denette Motorsports’ No. 9 Chevrolet Silverado. He led 28 laps, had two top five and six top 10 finishes and had an average start of 13.5 and a 17.3 average finish.Best NCWTS start: 3 - Dover 06/01/12Best NCWTS finish: 2 - Iowa 07/14/12Last NCWTS Win: Las Vegas 10/15/11.2013: JDM and NTS Motorsports merged to field three Chevrolet trucks (Nos. 9, 14 and 24) in 2013. Hornaday will return as driver of the No. 9 and will have Bruce Cook as crew chief for the team.

During the off-season, Looking Ahead gives a snapshot of where drivers finished in 2012 and what’s ahead for them in 2013. We will look at drivers who scored at least 250 points in the Cup Series and those who earned at least 200 points in the Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series.

With 43 days to go until the 2013 season-opening Daytona 500, here are some driver recaps followed by a tentative list of 2013 Sprint Cup Driver/Team lineups.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS):Carl Edwards finished 15th in the standings and earned 1030 points.2012: Drove the No. 99 Ford for Roush Fenway Racing. In the 36 starts, he led 254 laps, earned one pole, had three top five and 13 top 10 finishes and had an average start of 14.5 and a 15.6 average finish. In addition, Edwards made one start in the NNS. He started second in the lineup at Watkins Glen in RFR’s No. 60 Ford, led eight of the 82 laps on the road course and won the event.Best NSCS start: 1 - Daytona 02/27/12Best NSCS finishes: 5 - Las Vegas 03/11/12, Auto Club 03/25/12 and Dover 09/30/12Last NSCS Win: Las Vegas 03/06/11.2013: Edwards is signed thru 2014 to drive the No. 99 Ford. Jimmy Fennig, formerly on the RFR No. 17 Ford, will assume the role of crew chief for the team.

Ryan Newman finished 14th in the standings and earned 1051 points.2012: Drove the No. 39 Chevrolet for Stewart Haas Racing. In the 36 starts, he led 39 laps, had one victory, had six top five and 14 top 10 finishes and had an average start of 10.9 and a 15.0 average finish. In addition, Newman raced Turner Motorsports’ Nationwide Series No. 33 Chevrolet at Fort Worth (finished 19th). He also drove the Nos. 7 and 77 Chevrolets in three NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour races earning one pole and a best finish of seventh at Bristol.Best NSCS starts: 2 - Daytona 07/07/12 and Talladega 10/07/12Best NSCS finish: 1 - Martinsville 04/01/12Last NSCS Win: Martinsville 04/01/12.2013: Newman will return for a full season. Matt Borland, who took over as crew chief on the No. 39 at Martinsville in October, will return in that role this season. Quicken Loans, Haas Automation and Outback Steakhouse return as sponsors.

Kyle Busch finished 13th in the standings and earned 1133 points.2012: Drove the No. 18 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. In the 36 starts, he led 1436 laps, scored two poles, had one victory, 13 top five and 20 top 10 finishes. He had an average start of 10.2 and a 13.3 average finish. In addition, Busch raced his own Kyle Busch Motorsports’ No. 54 Toyota in 22 NNS races. He scored three poles, led 383 laps, had nine top five and 14 top ten finishes and had an average start of 8.5 and an 11.1 average finish. Busch also drove his KBM No. 18 Toyota Tundra in three NCWTS races earning three top five finishes.Best NSCS starts: 1 - Loudon 07/15/12 and Phoenix 11/11/12Best NSCS finish: 1 - Richmond 04/28/12Last NSCS Win: Richmond 04/28/12.2013: Busch will return for a full season along with crew chief Dave Rogers in the No. 18 Toyota. He plans to run a partial NNS season in Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 18 Toyota and possibly some races in his KBM No. 54 Toyota. Busch also plans to run a limited schedule in his KBM No. 51 Toyota Tundra truck.

NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS):Tayler Malsam finished 15th in the standings and earned 609 points.2012:Drove 26 races in TriStar Motorsports’ No. 18 Toyota. He had one top ten finish, an average start of 24.9 and a 20.6 average finish.Best NNS start: 14 - Talladega 05/05/12Best NNS finish: 6 - Daytona 02/25/12Last NNS Win: None so far.2013: No firm plans at this time.

Jeremy Clements finished 14th in the standings and earned 701 points.2012:Drove his Clements Racing No. 51 Chevrolet. In the 33 races, he led four laps, had two top ten finishes, an average start of 23.9 and a 22.8 average finish.Best NNS start: 11 - Kansas 10/20/12Best NNS finishes: 10 - Dover 06/02/12 and Indianapolis 07/28/12Last NNS Win: None so far.2013: No firm plans at this time.

Jason Bowles finished 13th in the standings and earned 715 points.2012:Drove the MacDonald Motorsports’ No. 81 Toyota. In the 33 races, he led two laps, had an average start of 23.1 and a 22.4 average finish.Best NNS start: 10 - Las Vegas 03/10/12Best NNS finishes: 14 - Daytona 07/06/12 and Road America 06/23/12Last NNS Win: None so far.2013: No firm plans at this time.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS):Ryan Sieg finished 15th in the standings and earned 531 points.2012:Drove 22 races in the RSS Racing No. 39 Chevrolet Silverado. He led five laps, had one top 10 finish, an average start of 25.3 and a 19.9 average finish. Best NCWTS start: 14 - Phoenix 11/09/12Best NCWTS finish: 6 - Phoenix 11/09/12Last NCWTS Win: None so far.2013: No firm plans at this time.

Todd Bodine finished 14th in the standings and earned 574 points.2012: Drove 22 races in the Red Horse Racing No. 11 Toyota Tundra. He scored one victory, led 33 laps, had five top five and seven top 10 finishes and had an average start of 11.8 and an18.2 average finish.Best NCWTS start: 3 - Bristol 08/22/12Best NCWTS finish: 1 - Dover 06/01/12Last NCWTS Win: Dover 06/01/12.2013: Due to lack of sponsorship, Red Horse Racing may not field the No. 11 in 2013. Bodine’s plans are unknown at this time.

Ron Hornaday Jr. finished 13th in the standings and earned 591 points.2012:Drove 22 races in the Joe Denette Motorsports’ No. 9 Chevrolet Silverado. He led 28 laps, had two top five and six top 10 finishes and had an average start of 13.5 and a 17.3 average finish.Best NCWTS start: 3 - Dover 06/01/12Best NCWTS finish: 2 - Iowa 07/14/12Last NCWTS Win: Las Vegas 10/15/11.2013: JDM and NTS Motorsports merged to field three Chevrolet trucks (Nos. 9, 14 and 24) in 2013. Hornaday will return as driver of the No. 9 and will have Bruce Cook as crew chief for the team.